Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni feels that limited preparation time cannot be an excuse in the derby vs AC Milan.
The 24-year-old spoke to Italian broadcaster DAZN ahead of the match, via FCInterNews.
Both Inter and Milan are only just returning from the international break.
For both teams that means that the whole squad has only been together for the past couple of days.
Players who have been away on international duty – which is the majority of both of the two teams’ squads – have been filtering back into training during the past week.
That means that Nerazzurri coach Simone Inzaghi and his Rossoneri counterpart Stefano Pioli have had to make do with the players they’ve had at their disposal, and wait patiently for the others to return.
Jet lag and a few tactical cobwebs could naturally be a worthy for both sides.
But that is not necessarily an advantage or disadvantage or either team.
Both Inter and Milan have had to work with a small window of preparation time ahead of this evening’s derby. And both will have to do what they can to make up for that.
Inter Milan Defender Alessandro Bastoni: No Excuses In Milan Derby
Nerazzurri defender Bastoni said that “We’re feeling good.”
“There’s no room for excuses or complaints,” he continued.
Bastoni made clear that “We’re fired up, we’re at 100% and ready to play a great match.”
Asked if there will be any differences to how he defends against Milan’s summer arrival Christian Pulisic, Bastoni said that there are “Little changes.”
“We only change the things that we have to. What matters is that we stay compact and defend as a team.”
Of the fact that Inter have won the last four derbies against Milan and are aiming to make it five, Bastoni said that “Pioli is right, those don’t matter.”
“Derbies revolve around the mental side of the game. You have to go out there and just think about the present.”
